Harness stop motion for looms



w H. NIX- Aug. 20, 1929,

HARNESS STOP MOTION FOR LOOMS Filed Oct. 27, 1928 2 Sheets-SheetATTORNEY W. H. NIX

Aug. 20, 1929.

HARNESS STOP MOTION FOR LOOMS Filed Oct, 2?, 192

2 Sheets-Sheet Fateated fang. 192$ UNITED STATES lJZSfiZTS PATENTOFFICE.

WILLIAM H. NIX, OF G-REENSBGRU, NORTH. CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR TO DRAPER COR-PORATION, F HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

HARNE$S STOP MOTION FOR LOOMS.

Application filed Qctober 27, 1928.

This invention relates to looms and is more particularly directed to aharness stop motion by which the loom is stopped when a harnessconnection becomes broken or too slack for weaving purposes.

During weaving, the harness frames are raised and lowered in theformation of the shed by means of harness connections with the sheddingmechanism. Should one of the harness connections become broken the associated harness will of course fail to perform its prescribed functionand imperfect cloth is liable to result. Many attempts have been made toovercome this difiiculty and effects loom stoppage when an abnormalcondition occurs, but in such cases the mechanism has either beencomplicated or so related to the other operating parts of the loom as torender such mechanisms open to criticism and objections.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a harness stopmotion of simple construction and so disposed with relation to the partsof the loom as not to interfere with the operation thereof, and as afurther feature of the invention, provision is made for effecting loomstoppage either upon the breakage of a suspending connection or a lowerconnection with the harnesses.

The invention and new combination of parts will best be made clear fromthe following description and the accompanying drawings of one good formof means for carrying the invention into effect.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the present invention associatedwith harness frames and detached from the loom;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, parts in section, showing a loom providedwith the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a detail, sectional elevation, showing the action of the partswhen an upper harness connection breaks; and

Fig. 4 is an. enlarged detail showing one form of means for guiding thestop bar.

The general construction of the loom, its operating mechanism forweaving cloth and the various accessories utilized in this con nectionare or may be of old or usual type and need not, therefore, be hereinshown and described in detail.

The loom frame 1 may be of usual constructi on and mounted at the rearof the loom is the warp beam 2 from which the warp a Serial No. 315,393.

is directed frontwardly to the weaving mechanism. The lay 3 is carriedby the usual lay swords 4 which have a rocking movement about a center 5at the lower part of the loom frame and, as usual, the lay may beoperated from a pitman 6 connected to the crank shaft The Warp threads apass through eyes or openings 7 in a series of heddles 8 carried byharness frames 9 which are raised and lowered during the weavingoperation to form the shed. There may be any number of harness frames 9but in the present instance of the invention only two are shown, forsimplicity of description and illustration.

Connected to the upper portion of each harness frame 9 are thesuspending connections 10 which pass about guide pulleys 11 mounted onthe loom arch 12, and such suspending connections are attached to anyusual form of mechanism for raising the harness frames in any desiredsequence for the formation of the shed.

In the present instance of the invention, the lower connections to theharness frames consist of straps 13 and springs 14- whereby the harnessframes may be lowered under the dictates of the shedding mechanism.

As hereinbefore stated, it is desirable that the means for initiatingloom stoppage on the breakage of either a suspending or lower harnessconnection be so disposed that it will not interefere with theoperations of other parts of the loom, and in the present instance ofthe invention a frame is provided beneath the harness frames forsupporting the mechanesm for initiating loom stoppage. The framereferred to may be of any appropriate. construction but as shown in thepresent instance of the invention comprises the uprights 15 at each sideof the loom below the harness frames, and such uprights are in thepresent instance connected by the cross-ties 16 and brace bars 17between the uprights.

Mounted between the cross-ties 16 is a rod or support 18 on which arepivotally mounted a. series of dogs 19 each of which has a hook 20 towhich the lower end portion of the springs 14, constituting a part ofthe loo lower harness connection, are secured, the

result being that the dogs 19 are normally held in elevated positionagainst a bar 21 extending between the cross-ties, the constructionbeing such that should one of the lower connections of the harnessframes break, the connected dog 19 will drop or swing about its pivotalsupport 18, and advantage is taken of this condition to call into actionthe loom stopping mechanism, as will be presently described.

Mounted on the frame and preferably in the cross-ties 16 is a rocker 22provided with an offset portion 23 extending between its end pivotalsupports, more clearly indicated in Fig. 1. The rocker 22 is positionedwith respect to the dogs 19 such that the latter will overlie the offsetportion 23 of the rocker which is itself held in its normal raisedposition against theunder portion of the dogs by an appropriate spring24, one end of which may be conveniently secured to one of. thecross-ties 16, as at 25. and the other end of which may be attached tothe offset portion of the rocker.

From the construction thus far described it will be apparent that shouldone of the lower harness connections break, its connected dog will dropand engage the offset portion 23 of the rocker, thereby turning therocker downwardly against the stress of the spring 24.

Since it is usual in effecting lowering movement of the harness framesunder spring action, as in the present invention, there is aspring-stressed lower connection to the harness frames at each endthereof or at each side of the loom, the efl'ect being that any loweringmovement of the harness frames will be spring-stressed in a downwarddirection equally throughout their length. Since such lower connectionsmay break either at one side or the other side of the loom, there aretwo series of dogs and a rocker at each side of the loom, as indicatedin Fig. 1.

Each of the rockers 22 is provided with an arm 26 constituting a crank,and connected to the crank arms 26 is a transmitter 27 which, shouldeither of the rockers 22 beturned by a released dog, will be moved inthe direction of the arrow, Fig. 1, or to the right as shown. Pivotallyconnected to the transmitter 27 at 28 is a bell crank lever 29 pivotedat 30 to a suitable bracket 31 secured to the loom frame, and extendingupwardly from the upper arm of the bell crank lever is a link 32 theupper end of which is pivotally connected at 33 to a lifter 34. Thelifter 34 is pivotally mounted at 35 on the link 39 and has an extendedportion 36 underlying the stop member 37. 7

Under normal weaving operations when the suspending and lower harnessconnections are intact, the lifter 34 will be maintained in the positionindicated in Fig. 1, that is, its end 36 will be lowered so that thepivoted stop member 37 which rests on the end 36 of the lifter, willremain in lowered position out of the path of movement of a hunter 38mounted on the under portion of the lay, as indicated in Fig. 2. Should,however, one of the lower connections break and its associated dog 19fall, it will engagethe offset portion 23 of the rocker 22 therebyturning the rocker and the crank arms 26 in the direction of the arrows,or to the right. The transmitter 27 will be correspondingly moved,thereby actuating the lifter 34 to raise the stop memher 37 into thepath of the hunter 38.

The lifter 34 and stop member 37 are carried by a link 39 pivotallymounted at 40 so that on engagement of the stop member 37 with thehunter 38 as the lay moves back, the stop member and lifter will bemoved rearwardly. Connected to the lifter and stop member is a link 41connected to a knock-off lever 42, the upper end portion 43 of whichbears against a shipper 44 which,

as the knock-elf lever is actuated, will detach the shipper from itsusual holding notch and effect loom stoppage.

Associated with the loom stopping mechanism is another device toeffected loom stoppage should one of the suspending conneclions break,and in the present instance of the invention such device comprises astop bar 45, one at each side of the loom below the harness frames. Eachof the stop bars 45 is mounted for movement in slots 46 formed in theuprights 15 or in an adjustable connection 47 secured thereto.

Underlying each stop bar 45 is a stop slide 48 mounted for slidingmovement in lugs 49v adjustab'ly secured to one of the uprights 15, asindicated more clearly in Fig. 1. Each of the stop slides 48' is underthe influence of a spring 50 normally acting to hold the stop slide inits upper position against the under side of its associated stop bar 45.The spring'50 may have one end secured to the guide bracket 49, as at51, and its lower end secured to the slide bar, as indicated at ,52, thestress of the spring tending normal ly to hold the stop bar in raisedposition but with permissive downward movement under the weight of adropped harness frame.

Pivotally connected to the stop slide 48 at the left, Fig. 1, is an arm53, the lower end portion of which is connected at 54 to the transmitter27, with the result that should the stop bar 45 be depressed under theweight of a dropped harness frame, at the left, Fig. 1, the stop slide48 will be depressed and act through the arm 53 to move the transmitter27 in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1, thereby acting through thelifter 34 to position the stop member 37 for engagement by th hunter 38on the lay. Y i

The stop slide 48 at the right has also pivotally connected thereto at55 an arm 56 the lower end portion of which is provided with a slot 57through which passes the offset portion23 of the rocker 22, with theresult that should one of the suspending connections. 10 break at thisside of the loom, the harness frame will drop upon the stop bar, effectsliding movement of the stop slide, and through the offset portion 23 ofthe rocker, turn the rocker to effect movement of the transmitter 27 tothe right and effect loom stoppage as hereinbefore explained.

From the construct-ion thus far described it will be apparent that twodevices are provided to stop the loom, one of which acts in thiscapacity to effect loom stoppage upon the breakage of a lower harnessconnection, and the other of which acts to effect loom stoppage throughbreakage or undue slackness of a suspending harness connection, and

both said mechanisms act through the rocker 22 to effect theirprescribed purpose.

As will be apparent from Fig. 1 of the drawings, the stop slide 48, oneat each side of the loom, acts near one end portion of its associatedstop bar, and in order to insure proper movement of the stop bar, thepresent invention provides an arm or projection 58 at each end portionof the stop bar and the outer end portion of each of the arms 58 ismounted in an enlarged slot 59 formed in a brace member 60 the lowerportion of which is secured to the associated riser 15 by a bolt (31,best indicated in Fig. 4, the effect being that the stop bar movementsare controlled and rendered stable and uniform both in their loweringand rising movements. While this construction has subserved the purposeof properly guiding the stop bar in its movements, it will be apparent,of course, that various expedients may be adapted for this purpose.

From the foregoing description of one good practical form of the presentinvention it will be apparent that two devices are provided, one ofwhich acts through the rocker 22 to effect loom stoppage on thebreakageof a lower connection, and the other of which acts through oneof the rockers to effect loom stoppage on the breakage or undueslackness of an upper connection to the harness frames.

What is claimed is:

1. In a harness stop motion for looms, the combination of harnessframes, shed forming mechanism including suspending connections forraising the harness frames, lower connections acting yieldingly to lowerthe harness frames in the shed formation, loom stopping mechanism, arocker mounted at the lower part of the loom and having an offsetportion, means connecting the rocker to the loom stopping mechanism, andtwo devices mounted below the harness frames, one for operating therocker to effect loom stoppage when a suspending connection breaks orbecomes too slack and the other for operating the rocker to effect loomstoppage when a lower connection breaks.

2. In a harness stop motion for looms, the combination of harnessframes, shed forming mechanism includingsuspending connections forraising the harness frames, lower connections acting yieldingly to lowerthe harness frames in the shed formation, loom stopping mechanism, tworockers mounted at the lower part of the loom, one at each side thereofand each having an off-set portion, means connecting the rockers to theloom stopping mechanism, and two devices mount-ed below the harnessframes, one for operating a rocker to effect loom stoppage when asuspending connection breaks or becomes too slack and the other foroperating a rocker to effect loom stoppage when a lower connectionbreaks.

3. In a harness stop motion, the combination of harness frames, sheddingmechanism including suspending and lower connections, loom stoppingmechanism, a rocker mounted below the harness frames and having anoffset portion, and two devices mounted below the harness frames, onefor operating upon the oi'lset portion of the rocker to effect loomstoppage when a lower connection breaks, and the other for operatingupon the rocker to effect loom stoppage when a suspending connectionbreaks.

4. In a harness stop motion, the combination of harness frames, sheddingmechanism including suspending and lower spring actuated connections,loom stopping mechanism, a rocker mounted below the harness frames andhaving an off-set portion, a connection between the rocker and loomstopping mechanism, and two devices below the harness frames, one forcomprising a series of dogs sustained above the offset portion of therocker to operate the rocker and effect loom stoppage when a lowerconnection breaks and the other connected to the rocker to operate itand effect loom stoppage when a suspending connection breaks.

5. In a harness stop motion for looms, the combination of harnessframes, shed forming mechanism including suspending connections forraising the harness frames, lower connections including a spring, forlowering the harness frames, loom stopping mechanism, a rocker mountedat the lower part of the loom and having an off-set portion, dogsnormally sustained in fixed position above the off-set portion of therocker by the springs of the lower connections and adapted to actuatethe rocker when a lower connection breaks and a dog falls upon theoff-set portion of the rocker, and means actuated by rocking movement ofthe rocker to effect loom stoppage.

6. In a harness stop motion, the combination of harness frames, sheddingmechanism including suspending connections and lower spring actuatedconnections, a rocker having an off-set portion, a series of pivoteddogs normally sustained above the offset portion of the rocker by thelower spring connections, loom stopping mechanism connected to therocker for operation thereby when a lower connection breaks, a stop baradapted to be depressed by a harness frame when a suspendin g connectionbreaks, and means between the rocker and stop bar to turn the rocker andeffeet loom stoppage when a suspending connection breaks.

7. In a harness stop motion, the combination of harness frames, sheddingmechanism including suspending connections and springstressed lowerconnections, loom stopping mechanism, a rocker ntiounted below theharncss frames and having an off-set portion, and two devices below theharness frames, one in clnding a series of dogs normally held above theoff-set portion, of the rocker by the spring: stressed lower connectionto stop the loom when a lower connection breaks, and the other includinga stop slide and connections with the rocker to stop the loom when a suspending connection breaks.

8. In a. harness stop motion, the combination of harness frames,suspending connec tions for the harness frames, a rocker having anoff-set portion below the harness frames, a series of pivoted dogs,lower spring-stressed harness connections secured to the pivoted dogsand normally ho ding them above the off-set portion of the rocker, astop bar e: tending under the harness frames and connected to therocker, and loom stopping mechanism adapted to be positioned to stop theloom when a lower connection breaks and the rocker is turned and alsowhen the rocker is turned by the stop bar upon breakage of a suspendingconnection.

9. In a harness stop motion, the combination of harness frames,suspending connections for the harness frames, a rocker having anoff-set portion below the harness frames, a series of pivoted dogs,lower spring-stressed harness connections secured to the pivoted dogsand normally holding them above the off-set portion of the rocker, astop bar ex tending under the harness frames and connected to therocker, spring means normally acting to hold the stop bar in raisedposition below the harness frames, and loom stopping mechanism adaptedto be positioned to stop the loom when a lower connection breaks and therocker is turned and also when the rocker is turned by the stop bar nponbreakage of a suspending connection.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

WILLIAM H. NIX.

